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The eight "cycle city ambition cities" can enter existing or new cycling projects into bids from an "additional" funding pot of £6.5m. A further £500,000 has been granted to Cycling UK for the staging of the Big Bike Revival.
It will be up to the relevant local authorities to decide which of their schemes are most relevant to this round of funding. A statement from the Department for Transport said it would be "looking to support schemes which improve safety for cyclists, and which also deliver benefits for pedestrians."
The eight "cycling cities" are Bristol, Leeds, Cambridge, Birmingham, Norwich, Manchester, Newcastle and Oxford.
Other cities are not so happy. "Yet another DfT cheque for only a few chosen cities?" tweeted Leicester City Council’s cycle team.
Yet another DfT cheque for only a few chosen cities !? @allpartycycling @BritishCycling @sustrans @TransportXtra @GetBritCycling @GBCycleEmbassy @roadcc @BikeBizOnline
— RideLeicester (@RideLeicester) February 17, 2018
Transport minister Jesse Norman said:
"Everyone should be able to take advantage of the huge health and environmental benefits of cycling."
He added: "While Britain has some of the safest roads in the world, we want to encourage more people to take up cycling. This funding, as part of our overall cycling and walking strategy, will help local councils to make their roads safer for everyone."
I really really hope @Jesse_Norman reads this and acts on it. https://t.co/0EygZz2zAl I think there's an opportunity to make CAF3 work, but there are only two things that cities should be allowed to do, and two things only. @CycleBath @carltonreid @GBCycleEmbassy @roadcc
— Adam Reynolds (@awjre) February 19, 2018
While welcoming "cycle ambition funds #3", some local authority cycle officers have questioned how cities will be able to prepare bids against a very tight deadline.
